Fluid-meter.



F. C. VINEY FLUID METER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-16,1915

Patenteept. 25, 21917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. C. VlNEY.

FLUID METER. APPLxcATloN' rlLE'n Aua.16.1916.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. C. VINEY.

FLUID METER.

APPLICATION l'lLED AUG16| 19,16.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

@7 r-ps Amma ny F. C. VINEY.

FLUID METER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. l5, 1916.

1 ,241,170. PatentedSept. 25, 1917.

4 SHEETS-'SHEET 4- im san me. N

FREDERICK C. VINEY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR-TO JOHNI-I.

BLYE, O F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. Y

FLUID-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patnted Spt, 25, 1917.

p Application led August 1G, 1.916. Serial No. 115,166.

To all 'whom t 'may concern Be it-known that I, FREDERICK C. VINEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Fluid-Meters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fluid meters generally, but, for convenience, the meter will, in the following description, be referred to as a gas meter.

One object of my invention is to so construct a meter of the'dupleX bellows type as to permit ready accessibility to both front and back of each bellows, and to provide for the ready application or removal of the bellows structures. Another object is to provide for application of the cover to or its removal from the main casing after the latter has been connected to the vsupply and discharge pipes without disturbing said connections, another object is to prevent the escape of any gas which may leak through the stuffing box of the primary shaft ofthe registering device, a further object is to provide for changing the circumferential position of the bellows-operated crank pin in respect to the valve-operating crank pin, a still further object is to transmit the movement of the latter crank pin to the valves without side thrust upon the latter, and a final object isto effect adjustment of the bellows-operated crank pin by means of a tool introduced from the outside of the valve chamber without removing the cover from the latter.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure'l is a transverse verticalvsection of a gas meter of the type to which my invention relates and illustrating said invenf tion' Fig. 2 is a top view, partly in section, of said meter with the 'cover plate removed therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of part of the mete-r with the valves and valve-operatingmechanism removed;

Fig. l is a top view, partly in section, of the casing of the meter with all of the detachable parts removed therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the bellows carrying valve plates removed froml the casing of the meter;

Fig. 6 is a top view, on'an enlarged scale,

of the bellows-operated' crank pin and its carrying and adjusting devices;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, and l Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectionv of part of one end of the meter'casing and cover plate. In the drawing, 1l represents the casing of the"meterwhich is of cast metal and has a central partition 2 whereby thev interior of thercasing is divided into two bellows chambers 3 and B, as shown in Fig. 1. The cham'- ber 3 is closed at the top by a ycap plate 4l detachably seated upon internal ,horizontal fianges projecting from the casing 1 and partition Q, said seats being'suitably packed so as to form gas-tight joints. A cap plate la similarly closes the upper end of the chamber 3a, as shown in Fig. 1. y y

At one end of the casing 1 is an internal casing 5 inclosing the inlet passage 6 for the gas, said casing 5 having formed therein openings 7 (Figs. 2 and 4i) which provide free communication between the passage 6 and the valve chamber 8 formed in the casing 1 above the cap plates l and 4a, as also shown in Fig. 1. At the opposite end yof the casing 1 is an internal casing 9 inclosing the gas outlet passage 10.'

Formed on or secured to the cap plate 4 is a valve seat 11 having thereiny a. centraly port 12 and other ports 13 and 14C flanking the saine. Secured to or forming part of the cap plate la is a similar valve seat'lla having a similar central port 12 and ports 13 and 14 flanking the same. Within each of the chambers 3 and 3a of the casing is a bellows structure comprising a fixed inner plate 15 and a movable louter plate 16, ythe inner and outer plate of each bellows structure being connected by a bellows leather 17, as shown in Fig. 1. y

i The interior of the bellows structure in the chamber 3 yis in communication through a neck 18 with the interior of a flue casing 19 on the under side of the ycap plate 4, the flue within said casing communicating with'the port 13 of the valve seat 11, and, in like manner, the interior of the bellows structure within the chamber 3a is in communication through a neck 18al with the interior of a Hue casing 19a on the under side of the cap plate 4a, the flue within said casingcom- AIl@ Ice,

municating with the port 13 of the valve seat 11a, as shown` in Fig.- 1, and by dotted lines in Fig. The port l14 of thevalve seat 11 communicates directly with the chamber 3A` and the --port 14 of the valve seat 11i communicates directly with the chamber 3a.

:The necks 18 and 182L of the bellows structures are, as shown in Fig. 1, detachablyv mounted vupon the flue clasings '19 and 19, respectively, so as to be readily removable therefrom,.suitable gas-tight packings" being` interposed between the necks and flue casings in order to prevent leakage ofvgas at lThe gas escape passage is in communication with the centralport 12 of the valve vseatll through aduct`20 (Fig-4) formed' ina :casing'l24'l Icast with the'casingl and partition l2', and clos-edat the ltop by the cap plate 4, and said escape passage 1Qv isalso in communication., through a similar duct 20a in a casing 5211? 'on the oppcsiteside ofthe partition 2, with thev central port '12 of the valve seat 115. g' .l Mounted upon the valve seat 11 is an vordinary.D-valve22 andfupon the valve seat 1 1a vis mounted asimilar valve 222i, an upwardly projectingA kpin centrally disposed on the back'of the valve 22 being connected by ya linkv 23 to the pin 24 of la crank on a shaft '25 mounted so a-s'to be free torotate in suitable bearings within the valve lchan'i'ber 8, a vcentral pin .of 'the valve 22*il being connectedto said crank pin 24 through themedium of a link 231,fa s shown in Fig. 2. Rotating movement of the crank shaft 25will, consequently, `cause the .valves 22 and 22EL vto slide over the valve seats 1,1 and 11a, respectively, each valve, when at the extremity of its inward movementuncovering the port 14 of its respective valve seat, as shown at the top of Fig. y2, andvwhen at the extremity of its outward movement, uncovering the port 13 of its'valve seat, as shown at the bottom of When the valve is in the position shown at the topof Fig. 2, it opens communication between the ports 12` and 13 of its seat and when in the position shown at lthe bottom of F ig. 2 'o prensH communication between the ports. 12 and 14 of' its seat, consequently, ,at

the time/that gas is passing from the chamber 8 into the bellows chamber 3 through the por-t V14 of the, valve seat 11, `itmwill be escapingfrom the interior of lthe bellows in said. chamber throughtlie ports 13 and 12,

yand-,duct 2O into the discharge passage 10.

tthe .saine time gas .will be passing `through the` port 13 of, the valve seat 11a .into the-in terio-rfo-flthe bel-lows lin the chamber 3a and gas will be escaping from said chamber outside of the bellows through the ports '14 and l12 ofthe valve 'seat 1la and duct 20 into said discharge passage 10.

The engagement of the links 23 and 23a with pins centrally disposed on the backs of the valves 22 and 22a insures the imparting of sliding movement to said, valves without any side thrust thereupon, the valves being guided in their sliding movements by means of slotted fingers 26 on the valves engaging guide pins 27 on the cap plates 4 or 4, as shown in Fig. 2.

Mounted upon the upper end .of the crank shaft 25, as` shown in Fig. 7, is an arm member 28, and to suitable bearings thereon is adapted a shaft 29 (Fig. 6) carrying a worm 30 which meshes with a segmental rack 31 on an arm member 32, the latter bein piv- O'tally` mounted on the top of the mem ver 28 in line with the aXis of the shaft 25, as shown Fig'. 7 and projecting from said shaft 25 in a direction opposite to that of the member 28. a

Mounted so as to slide radially upon the top of the member 32 is a slide 33 carrying a crank pin 34 and having on its under side a rack which engages with a worm 35` mounted yso as to turn in suitable bearings Adepending from the member 32, as shown in Fig..

The' crank pin '34 is connected by links 36 and 36a to `arms 37 and 37a carried respectively byvertical shafts 38 and 38a, the latter being located vrespectii'fely in the chambers 3 and 3. of the casing, and being mounted so yas to be yfree to turn infstuffing boites on theA cap plates 4 yand 4a and in depending hangers on said plates, as shown in Fig. 5, the shaft 38 being connected in the usual manner to the outer plate of the bellows in the chamber 3 and the shaft '38*l being con-y nected in like manner to the outer plate of the bellows vin the chamber 31, hence, as said bellowsare alternately distended and contracte'd rocking'movement will be imparted to the shafts 38 and 383, the crank shaft 25 will be rotated,` and sliding movement will i be imparted to thevalves 22 and 22a' as usual 1n gas meters of this type.

Radial movement to increase or decrease the throw ofthe crank pin 34 is imparted t0 the slide 33 by tu'rningtfhe worm'35 and the circumferential position of the crank pin 3 4 m respect to the crank pin 24 can bevaried by turning the worm 30 and `thereby swinging the arm member 4"32 on its pivotal LX'1S'.

Each worm 30 or 35 is normally locked in position by means ofl a lock nut 40 mounted upon 'the threaded shaft of 'thefworm .and contacting with the outer face of .one of the bearings for said shaft, asshownin Figs. 6 and 7. l/Vlien it is desired to turn the worm, the nut 40 is backed oli su'iiiciently to permit said turning movement and when the adjustment has been completed said nut is again tightened.` l ,a

In order to permit ready Aaccess from the 'outside ofthe casing to the shaft of the worm 35 and to its nut 40 the casing has an opening which is normally closed by a screw plug 41, as shown in Fig. 1, access to the shaft of the worm 30 and its nut 40 from the outside of the casing being had through an opening normally closed by a plug 42, as shown in Fig. 2.

By providing the chambers 3 and 3a of the casing with independently removable cap plates 4 and 42L each carrying the bellows for its respective chamber, said cap plates and bellows can be independently removed from the casing, and, when so removed, the bellows is accessible on all sides for inspection and repair, and when either cap plate has been removed from the Casing its bellows can be readily detached therefrom and as readily reapplied, or a new bellows may be substituted for the old one if desired.

The crank shaft 25 has thereon the usual worm 43 for operating the counting mechanism, said worm engaging a worm wheel 44 on a shaft 45 which has at the end a fork 46, as shown in Fig. 2, for engaging arms 47 on the primary shaft 48 of the counting mechanism, as shown in Fig.. 1, but, in order that said shaft and its arms may not interfere with the withdrawal of the cap plate 4a, said shaft is movable longitudinally in its bearing, and the casing 1 has formed in its inner side a pocket 49 for the reception of the arms 47 when the shaft 48 is drawn outwardly.

When the cover plate 50 of the casing is removed all of the parts within the valve chamber 8 of the casing are readily accessible and either of the cap plates 4 or 4a with its attached bellows mechanism, valve and valve seat can be independently removed after first disconnecting the links 23 and 36 or 23a and 36a.

The cover plate 50 is recessed at each end so as to lit around the inlet casing 5 or discharge casing 9, as shown in Fig. 8, and each of these casings has, in line with the top of the casing l, a ange 5a or 9a with which the cover plate 50 forms a gas tight joint. By this means the cover plate 50 can, after the pipe connections of the meter have been made, be readily removed and reapplied without disturbing said connections.

The registering mechanism of the met-er is contained in a casing 51 which in turn is inclosed within a casing 52 having a suitably sealed glazed front 53 through which the dials of the registering mechanism can be observed, and this casing 52 also extends beyond the stuffing box for the primary shaft 48 of the registering mechanism and has a flange forming a suitably packed joint with a seat 54 on the casing 1 so that any gas which leaks through the stuffing box of the shaft 48 is prevented from gaining access to the room or apartment in which the meter is located, this being important in the 'case of natural gas which is highly explosive and whose presence cannot be detected by the sense of smell.

I claim:

1. In a duplex Huid meter, the combination of a casing having a central partition with a chamber on each side thereof, independent cap plates for closing said chambers, and a bellows structure carried by each cap plate.

2. tion of a casing having a central partition with a chamber on each side thereof, independent cap plates for closing said chambers, and a bellows structure detachably mounted upon each cap plate.

3. 1n a duplex iiuid meter, the combination of a casing having a discharge passage, apartition dividing said casing into two chambers, and a discharge duct in each of said chambers, with independently removable bellows-carrying cap plates for each of the chambers of the casing, said cap plates also covering said discharge ducts.

4. In a fluid meter, the combination of a casing, a bellows structure therein, a valve for directing fluid to and from said bellows structure, a bellows shaft, a crank shaft connected to said valve, a fixed arm on said crank shaft, another arm pivotally mounted upon said fixed arm, said pivoted mounting being in line with the. .axis of the crank shaft, a segmental rack on said pivoted arm, a worm engaging said rack, a worm shaft, bearings on said fixed arm for said worm shaft, a crank pin on said pivoted arm, and a connection between said crank pin and the bellows shaft.

5. In a fluid lmeter, the combination of a casing, a bellows structure therein, a valve for directing fluid to or from said bellows structure, a bellows shaft, a crank shaft connected to the valve, an arm on said shaft, a crankspin-carrying slide on said arm, a connection between said crank pin and the bellows shaft, a rack on said slide, a worm engaging said rack, a worm shaft, and bearings on the arm for said worm shaft.

6. 1n a fluid meter, the combination of a crank shaft having a duplex arm with one part adjustable in respect to the other, an adjusting device having as elements a worm, a threaded worm shaft, a bearing therefor, a lock nut on said shaft, said nut engaging the bearing at one end of said shaft, a meter casing having therein an opening through which said nut is accessible from the outside of the casing, and a plug for normally closing said opening.

7. In a fluid meter, the combination of a casing, a removable cap plate therein, registering mechanism on the outside of the casing, a primary shaft for said registering In a duplex fluid meter, the combinai mechanism mounted in a bearing onthe casing and longitudinally movable therein, mechanism inside of the casing for operating said primary shaft, and a pocket on the inside of the casing for receiving that member of the operating mechanism which is carried hy said primary shaft When the latter is moved outwardly in its bearing.

8. In a inid meter, the combination of a main casing having a feed or discharge casing projecting therefrom, and having a flange in line with the top thereof, Witha cover recessed for the reception of said projecting casing, said cover being seated on the main casing and on said flange.

9. ina fluid meter, the combination of the main casing, external registering mechanism having a primary shaft extending to the inside of said main casing throughv a bearing in the latter, and a hood inclosing 20 'said registering mechanism and said bean ing, said hood forming a gas-tight joint `with said casing. l

In testimony Whereo-I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence 25 Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

